Final Family
by junealii
Summary: After being married three times, David Rossi has finally found something to be happy about. Emily Prentiss has finally meet the one guy that she would spend the rest of her life with. Although they would have never guessed it would be with each other.
1. The Terrible Two's

Maneuvering her body so that her maternity top sat just right. Adding the last finishing touches to her outfit, and re-buttoning that pesky button that continued to come undone at the peak of her large 6 month pregnant belly. Emily Prentiss had conquered interrogations with hardened serial killers, meetings with Section Chief Erin Strauss, and even shootouts with crazed lunatics, but she had never felt more nervous in her entire life then the very moment, she heard Dave return home with their newest house guest. She looked herself over in the mirror one more time before waddling out of the bedroom and towards the stairs. Reaching her destination and catching her breath before she descended the stairs, she caught a glimpse of David and their guest head towards the kitchen, as she peered over the banister. She took that first step gripping the railing for all it was worth, she was nervous, and sometimes being nervous made her clumsy. She was taking every step that she could think of to push the nerves away, compartmentalization, my ass. Normally Emily Prentiss could compartmentalize something to death without any qualms but the idea of meeting someone so important to David scared her shitless. Emily could try her hardest to chalk it up to the emotions and the hormones that the baby was causing her to throw around, but deep down she know that she had to impress their guest no matter how accepting Dave said they would be.

Rounding the corner Dave and Emily's eyes locked for a split second before the voice of their guest rang out through the house.

"Is this her piccolo?"

"Yes Nick, this is Emily. Emily, this is my big brother Nicolas." Dave said

"It's nice to finally meet you Nick. I have heard a lot about you." Emily said as Nick pulled her into a hug.

"All good I hope?"

"Uhhh. As good as a little brother can tell I guess." Emily said taking a seat at the small table in the corner.

"Aw Davie come on. What did you tell her?" Nick said taking a seat near Emily.

"Davie?" Emily questioned. "They call you Davie!" She said before bursting into hysterical laughter.

"It's not that funny Em." Dave said throwing a scowl her way.

"Oh my god." She said through the tears, as she reached up to wipe them away before clutching her stomach. "It's not funny Davie. It's freaking hilarious!" She said bursting into laughter again.

"Emily, if you think that is funny, there is so much more that I could tell you about our piccolo Davie here."

"Dave, I think I love your brother. Let's get story time started Nick." Emily said standing up from her chair and began her waddle towards the living room.

"Just like that Em, and you have already found someone else!" Dave called after her.

"Of course not Davie!" She called back. Dave turned towards his brother with a look that said 'your ass better start running right now'. Dave took one step and chased his brother out of the kitchen and towards the living room, where he found Nick cowering behind Emily.

"You are not seriously using my pregnant girlfriend as a shield asino."

"Not as a shield Davie, never. Right Nick?" Emily said flashing Dave a smile.

"Right Em." Nick said sitting down beside her.

"Dear God, they are worse they I thought. I never should have introduced them, now I will never live it down."

"Hey! We are sitting right here!" Nick and Emily called at Dave before he shook his head and turned away only to be pelted in the head by a pillow a few mere seconds later. Turning around Dave threw a frustrated glare at both his brother and the woman he loves.

"Who throw that?" Dave asked.

"He did." Emily said pointing at Nick.

"She did." Nick said pointing at Emily.

"Oh help me. They are worse than Morgan and Garcia." Dave said walking away.

"Hey! I heard that! I'm gonna tell Garcia too! And she won't be happy." Emily called after him.

"Thinly veiled threat baby." Dave answered.

Climbing slowly into bed that night as to not disturb Emily, Dave lowered himself onto the bed before wrapping his arms around Emily's waist and settled his hands over where his daughter is resting.

"Dave?"

"Did I wake you baby?" He asked rubbing her stomach.

"No, your daughter is extremely intent on using my internal organs as her newest toys."

"Princess, you can't use Mommy's organs as toys. We love mommy, and that hurts her. Plus that makes her mad, and then she is grumpy which means that she yells at daddy. We don't want that." Dave said to Emily's belly button as he rubbed a soothing hand over her rounded stomach."I have one question, Why is she only my daughter when she is doing something wrong?"

"Because she is your child through and through Dave. I think we are going to have our hands full."

"Speaking of hand fulls, what do you think of Nick?"

"Honestly...ahh" Emily said wincing slightly.

"You okay?"

"No, your daughter just found my kidney. Your brother seems really great. He really enlightened me into what I'm getting into."

"Ohh he did, did he?" Dave said sitting up and leaning over Emily.

"He did. He told me about when he caught you making out with a girl in the treehouse."

"He didn't?"

"Ohh he did. He told me all of it. Like how she was gonna have sex with you but little Davie just couldn't get it up." Emily said trying to hold down her laughter.

"Obviously it isn't a problem now, is it Emily?" he asked moving his body to hover over hers. Her very pregnant belly touching his bare chest.

"I don't remember, maybe you should remind me." Emily smirked before she leaned up capturing his lips with hers.

"I think I can handle that."

Emily walked into the kitchen looking for something to settle her roiling stomach. She was far past morning sickness but her daughter was not giving up her assault on all of her internal organs.

"You okay Emily?" Nick asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Oh yeah. Just Dave's daughter is using her mothers' internal organs as soccer balls."

"Wait until she tortures Davie, for all he put Mama through during his fifty one years of life."

"I bet you both tortured your poor mother." Emily joked.

"Ohh we did. You really love him don't you Emily?"

"I really do. When I first met Dave, I would have never thought I would have fallen in love with him. At first, I thought he was the biggest asshole on the face of the planet. I don't know why but I love him." Emily said.

"Emily, I'm gonna tell you this, and I want you to listen. All of his life, Dave has protected his heart from pain and everytime he opens himself up, he got hurt. He trusted Rita, he would have never thought that his first wife would cheat on him. He was so lost when Anna died. Dave was just searching when married Amy. He stopped searching when he found you Emily. He loves you a lot. He loves this baby more than I think he even knows. You are a great girl Em, I'm really glad that he met you." Nick said squeezing Emily's hand.

"That means a lot Nick. Thanks."

They sat in silence for what seemed just a few seconds before Dave joined them in the kitchen.

"Morning" Dave said grabbing his coffee cup.

"Morning piccolo."

"Morning honey." Emily said giving Dave a quick peck on the lips before he sat down.

"Don't kill each other boys. I'm gonna go take a shower, can you behave yourselves?"

"Yes ma'am" They both said as Emily walked out of the kitchen.

Dave looked up from his newspaper, to notice his brother intently staring at him.

"Nick?" Dave said folding up the paper and laying in down on the table.

"Hmm?"

"Why are you staring at me?"

"I was just thinking. I don't think that I have ever seen you this happy Dave." Nick said truthfully.

"Honestly, I don't think that I have ever been this happy. There is just something about her, Nick. Man, Emily, I love her. I don't know why, but I do. I love her a lot." Dave said before finishing off his cup of coffee.

"It's funny that you said that, cause she just told me the same thing. I'm happy that you are happy Dave. I can promise you that I thought I would never see the day that you would become a father. Dave, promise me that one day soon, you will make an honest woman out of her. She is happy, but I don't think she will be truly happy until you put a ring on her finger."

"Thanks Nick."

"Not a problem piccolo."

**6 Months Later**

Emily and Dave wake up right on time, 5:45am every morning and not because that is the time that their alarm is set for. It's the time that their daughter, Mia Elizabeth Rossi wakes up every morning. At first parenthood was not easy on either of the new parents. Emily was frustrated because for the first few months, she was the only waking up in the middle of the night to feed Mia. No matter how much she protested Dave always woke up and helped in some sort of way. Although there were some rough patches during the first few months, Emily still remembers the first time she found Dave lying on the couch with Mia on his chest, Mia's tiny hands clutching Dave's shirt as they both slept.

"I'll get her Cara, you sleep." Dave said getting off the bed.

"Dave, you have to work, I don't. Let me get her." Emily said sitting up.

"Go back to sleep Cara, I got her." Dave said before walking out of the room and into the nursery.

Emily woke up the next morning to find Dave's side of the bed empty, figuring that he had already left for work. Emily rolled out of bed, and walked down the hallway to the nursery. Oddly, the door was closed, so very gently she pushed open the door. Emily's heart swelled at the sight of her daughter and the man see loves laying beside each other on the same twin size bed in the corner of the room. Mia's little tiny body was curled up against the rising chest of her lover. Emily sat gently down on the bed beside Dave and Mia, lifted her tiny daughter off the sleeping man and into her arms. Emily smiled as Mia stirred but returned to sleep.

"Dave?" Emily said running her fingers through his hair. Dave stirred but didn't open his eyes, so Emily left Dave alone, knowing that he was probably very tired.

Settling her now fed and sleeping daughter down on the couch beside her, Emily stretched out before closing her eyes for just a second. The harsh sound of the telephone ringing woke Emily from her slumber, reaching quickly for the phone, Emily yawned before answering.

"Hello" Emily said with a yawn.

"_Emily?" _The voice asked.

"Nick, hey, how are you?"

"_I'm good. How have you guys been?"_

"Tired. Dave just went back to work a couple of weeks ago. We try to sleep whenever we can."

"_I was actually just thinking about you guys and thought that I should call."_

"I was planning on calling you this weekend to let you know about how your niece is torturing Dave."

"_Already?"_

"Yep. Yesterday, he was leaving for work and he went to pick her up after I fed her. Dave didn't listen when I told him to leave her be because she had gotten sick a few times that morning. Let's just say that Dave's favorite shirt will never be the same again."

"_Little Mia is just getting started isn't she?"_

"Oh yeah." Emily said before turning to see Dave once against cradling his daughter to his chest.

"DAVID ROSSI! I told you to stop spoiling her." Emily said pointing her finger in Dave's direction.

"I'm sorry Emily. I just love holding her." Dave said taking a seat beside her.

"Well, you are gonna love holding her if in a few months when that is the only way to get her asleep."

"I know. I know. Who are you talking to?"

"Nick. Do you want to talk to him?" Emily said holding him the phone.

"I guess I don't have a choice do I?" Dave asked putting the phone to his ear.

"_Hey Asino! I can hear you!"_

"I know you can, that is why I said it."

After talking to his brother, Dave Rossi knew that today was the day. Emily was happy but he couldn't keep her happy forever. Emily wanted a husband, a family, and Dave finally thought he was ready to give it to her.

"Hey Em?" Dave said walking into the kitchen.

"Yeah" Emily said swaying her hips to the music on the radio. Dave walked up behind her, putting his hands on her hips to still her, she turned her body to face him before she leaned up pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Dave kissed from her lips to her neck, whispering how much he loved her and how happy he was.

"Em, I love you so much."

"I love you too Dave."

"I wasn't finished Emily."

"Sorry Dave."

"Emily, I love you so much. You have made me the happiest man on the planet. First, you tell me that you want to be with me, then you tell me that you love me, and that you are pregnant. You gave me the one thing that I have always wanted. You gave me a family." Dave said before reaching in his pocket and handing her a little black box before kneeling on the ground in front of her. "I guess what I'm trying to say is Emily Katherine Prentiss, will you marry me?"

"Dave.."Emily said with tears in her eyes.

"Will you marry me Em?" Dave asked again.  
"Yes. Yes David I will marry you." Emily kissing him before he slid the ring onto her ring finger. Emily and Dave broke apart to the sound of Mia crying from the living room. Rushing to the bassinet, Dave grabbed Mia before wrapping his arm around Emily's waist.

"Someone just wanted our attention." Emily said kissing her daughter's forehead.

"She's just happy that we are going to be a family."

"Married or not David, we have always been a family." Emily said leaning up to capture his lips.


	2. Storms, Babies and Pancakes

The only sound emanating through the Rossi house is the heavy rain making its assault on Little Creek. Entering his house, Dave Rossi is overwhelmed by silence. Knowing that his wife and daughter must have already went to bed, hence the quiet. Leaving the case files in his hands, along with his keys and cell phone on the kitchen table, Dave makes his quiet journey to his favorite girls. Climbing the stairs, he groans feeling the full impact of the last case hit him like a ton of bricks, like a semi-truck, insert other similes here. Reaching the top step, Dave realizes that he is just so happy to be home. Peeking into Mia's room, Dave smiles when he sees his princess cuddled up with his favorite blanket, which is something she just started to do when he was on a case. He tiptoed over to her bed, before tucking the blanket around her and placing her favorite pink puppy back on the bed.

"I love you Mia" Dave whispered before kissing his daughter's cheek. Dave watched his daughter for just a minute or two, not being able to comprehend that his little girl is almost 3 years old.

As Dave walks the final few feet to the master bedroom, he thinks about the woman that is sleeping just beyond the door. He can't believe that Emily Prentiss, now Emily Rossi had given him a family, the family that he had always wanted. He couldn't believe that an incredibly beautiful and smart woman like herself wanted to marry a thrice divorced old man like him. When Dave entered the room, he thought his heart was gonna stop. There laid his wife, his beautiful, sexy wife wearing nothing but one of his button-ups and her reading glasses with the manuscript to his latest book in her lap.

"Dave! You're home. You weren't supposed to back until tomorrow." Emily exclaimed as she placed the manuscript on the table beside the bed as she watched her husband remove his badge, and lock his gun away.

"I wanted to come home to my girls. I missed you." Dave said climbing onto the bed next to his wife.

"I missed you too." Emily said as Dave sighed before resting his head against the headboard and closing his eyes.

"Hard case?" Emily questioned

"Horrible, I'm so exhausted." Dave said groaning as he shifted in the bed.

"Lay down Baby, and let me work out those kinks." Emily said as Dave shifted to his stomach. Both Emily and Dave were so happy that he was home, they both forgot about the storm raging over Little Creek, that was just beyond the walls.

"Cara, you are too good to me." Dave groaned as Emily worked his shoulders. Dave was trying very hard to forget the fact that Emily was straddling him in just his blue button-up.

"Dave, Baby. You are so tense." Emily said as she pressed the heel of her hand into the one of his muscles in his back.

"Em, I should be rubbing your shoulders or your feet or something."

"I want to do this Dave, so shut up." Emily said

Once Emily had worked out of all Dave's muscles, he was worked up somewhere else. Emily straddled his hips, as he finally took in the sight of his wife.

"God, Cara, you are so beautiful." Dave said as his hands run over the familiar curves of her body. Dave ran his hands from her porcelain colored neck, to her supple breasts, to her slightly rounded stomach. Dave's hands stopped over where their son was, Emily groaned as the baby kicked acknowledging his father's presence.

"Dave..." She groaned as Dave continued rubbing her stomach. "He was settled down and you got him all excited again." She said resting her hand over his.

"That was your own fault. You know where back massages lead to in this house. I'm pretty sure junior in there does too." Dave said pointing to her stomach.

"Okay, It is probably my fault, but you have been gone for a week David, and I have needed you so bad." Emily said grinding her hips slightly.

"Cara" Dave groaned shifting his hands to rest on Emily's ass.

"David. I missed you so much." Emily said leaning forward, her rounded stomach against his bare chest. She kissed his chest before capturing his lips with hers. Dave's hands roamed Emily's body and she continued her exploration of Dave's mouth. Completely obvious to anything but themselves neither Dave nor Emily noticed the storm had taken a turn for the worst, unleashing booming claps of thunder and bright flashes of lightning upon Little Creek.

"God. Emily. I need you so bad. I missed you much." Dave whispered against her neck. Emily moaned as Dave marked her neck.

Emily smiled as exited the bathroom before watching her husband inspect the love marks on his body after celebrating their reunion in the shower. Emily was still quite confused as to how they ended up in the shower but nonetheless she was happy to have her husband back. As she climbed into bed she heard a scream followed by little running footsteps that stopped outside their door. Knowing the rules, Mia knocked first.

"Mommy?" Mia whimpered from behind the closed door.

"Come in here Mommy's baby" Emily said. The door opened to reveal a crying, scared Mia clutching her father's blanket and her puppy for dear life. The soft light cast on the room by the beside lamp allowed Emily to see the tear stained cheeks for her baby girl.

"Are you scared baby?" Emily asked as Mia came and stood beside the bed. Mia nodded and reached her arms up to her mother.

"You can sleep in my bed tonight, but tomorrow night in is back in your room, okay?" Emily said as she pulled Mia into the bed.

"Okay Mommy. The storm... I...I...I was really scared." Mia said as she moved to lay beside her mother. Mia climbed onto her Mom's lap and rested her head on her chest as Emily soothed her daughter's fears. Dave exited the bathroom quietly before taking his spot on the bed. Feeling the bed shift beneath her and her mother, Mia craned her neck to look for the source of the movement.

"Daddy?" Mia whimpered as she pushed away from her mother and reached for Dave.

"I'm right here baby. Daddy's got you. Nothing is gonna get you." Dave said as he rocked Mia and cradled her against his chest.

"'amise?" Mia whispered.

"I promise" Dave said as Mia climbing back over to her mother. Mia curled herself against Emily's stomach, Emily reached down and wiped the stray tears off Mia's cheeks. Dave spooned behind Emily wrapping his arms around the three of them, his wife, his daughter, and his unborn son. Slowly Mia drifted back to sleep as the storm continued to rage.

"I love you David Anthony Rossi" Emily said resting her hand over his as they rested against their son.

"I love you Emily Katherine Rossi" Dave said kissing Emily's shoulder.

"Mommy, Daddy. Wake up!" Mia shouted as she jumped up and down on the bed between her parents.

"Ugh... Mia, lay back down Honey." Emily said as she rolled over.

"Daddy?" Mia whispered as she climbed onto Dave's side.

"Yes princess" Dave said as he peeked at daughter through one eye.

"Can you make 'ancakes?" Mia asked flashing those 'Prentiss Puppy Eyes' as Dave calls them. Dave looks into the big brown eyes of his daughter and groans. How can he say 'no' to those eyes? He couldn't say 'no' when Emily used them and he definitely can't say 'no' when Daddy's little princess uses them. That little girl has David Rossi completely wrapped around his finger just like her mother does.

"Okay, let's good make pancakes." Dave said as they all climbed out of bed.

"Cara, you rest." Dave said pointing to the bed as Emily stood up.

"Dave.."

"Emily. Cara, relax. We will bring them to you." Dave said as Emily climbed back into the bed.

"Come on Mia, let's go make Mommy and baby some pancakes." Dave said as he threw Mia over his shoulder and headed off to the kitchen, as the entire Rossi house filled with laughter.

When Dave and Mia returned carrying pancakes, Mucci followed them in the hope that Mia would drop something on accident. As Mia climbed onto the bed beside her mother, Dave placed the tray on the bed in front of Emily before sitting across from her.

"Did you cook these all by yourself baby?" Emily asked as she ruffled Mia's hair.

"No, silly mommy. Daddy helped" Mia said beaming at her parents

"They look great, thank you guys. The baby is really hungry." Emily said rubbing her stomach.

"The baby is in there?" Mia asked pointing at Emily's belly.

"Yep, the baby is in my belly." Emily said as she took a bite of pancakes.

"How did the baby get there? Did you eat it?" Mia asked flashing her parents a confused look.

"No princess, Mommy didn't eat the baby." Dave said flashing a look at Emily that says 'holy shit, what do I say now?'.

"The baby is in my tummy because it is still really tiny like Uncle Hotch and Aunt JJ's baby, remember how small she was?"

"Yeah, why is the baby in there though?"

"Well, 'cause he is tiny and needs to be protected until he is big enough to come and see us." Emily said as Mia shifted closer to her and put her hands on Emily's stomach. Mia looked at her mom with fear when she felt the baby kick.

"He is saying 'hi' to his big sister." Emily said as Mia rubbed her stomach. Mia leaned forward and kissed Emily's stomach before leaning in real close.

"Hi, I'm your big sister Mia, I wuv you. You need to 'urry up, I want to play with you." Mia whisper against Emily's stomach. Mia scooted back to her spot and continued to eat her pancakes as Dave and Emily just smiled at each other.


	3. Memories and Promises

**Quick Little Author's Note: I really just want to thank everyone that subscribed for alerts about this story, or added it as a favorite. Also I just want to let anyone that is reading my Hotch story that I am looking for ideas. Until someone gives me an idea, I can't continue that story. I have a severe case of writer's block with that story. So please, if you want to see if Aliison and Addison make it out of the bank, please give me ideas. Now back to this story, I'm still not quite sure where I am taking this story or how long it will be, but if you have any ideas for storylines that you would like to see, please please let me know.**

**Now here is your story..  
**

Many people believe that the weather sometimes reflects people's moods. The weather outside the cabin at Little Creek was doing just that. It's been 5 years since Matthew Benson's death, and it's been 5 years since Dave made a promise to Emily that changed her life forever. Hearing her daughter's laughter floating on the breeze, Emily drifted back to that day. Emily and Dave both came from worlds that were full of secrets. As her husband and daughter played ball in the yard, Emily reminisced about how she came to deserve the life she has now.

"_So, what's on your mind Dave?" Emily asked as the pair stepped from the concrete sidewalk into a dirt lot._

"_Do you know the story of the exorcist?" Dave asked before taking a sip of coffee._

"_Yeah"_

"_The real case started right here, in this very lot." Dave said gesturing the to empty lot that they were currently standing in. "The fire department actually burnt down the house themselves. The police referred to the boy as Robbie Doe. Did you know that he is still in the DC area?"_

"_Dave, why did you bring me here?" Emily asked _

"_A whole lot of effort went into destroying the house of a boy would probably had the onset of schizophrenia or tourette's syndrome."_

"_I'm not following you Dave." Emily said casting a confused look Dave's way._

"_You're sure that Matthew was murdered." Dave stated._

"_That's what I would like to believe."_

"_So what's the story?" Dave asked stepping closer to Emily. "If you, uh, don't want to explain, that's fine, but if you do, I'm all in. We are in this together Cara."_

"_Growing up, Matthew was the one that knew the bible, but he eventually started to question everything."_

"_Why?"_

"_We moved around a lot when I was a kid, 'cause of my mom's postings. It was hard to get accepted, and when you're 15, that's all you want." Emily said with tears filling her eyes. "You'll do almost anything." She finished as a tear fell across her cheek._

"_You got pregnant"_

"_Yeah" Emily whispered looking towards the ground. Although she loved Dave, she was afraid that once he know about her past, he would never love her._

"_Was Matthew the father?"_

"_No. I didn't know what to do, Matthew was the only person that I told besides the father. I couldn't tell my mom, so Matthew suggested that I talk with our priest." Emily said as she wiped away fallen tears._

"_And what did the priest say?" Dave pressed_

"_He said that if I had an abortion, I wasn't welcome in his congregation." _

"_So what'd you do?"_

"_Matthew went and found me a Doctor. He took me there and stayed with me the whole time. That sunday, we went to mass. Matthew held my hand and walked me into the church. Father Gamino actually stopped his sermon, but Matthew told me to hold my head up, and we walked to the front pew."_

"_Love and friendship." Dave stated, reaching out and wiping Emily's tears away._

"_But that's when his anger and questioning started. Matthew started doing drugs and when the mixed with his questions about faith, you could understand why his parents were afraid he was possessed by something evil. Matthew's parents always believe that I drove their son to drugs. They always said that Matthew was a good boy until he met me. No matter if I changed him or not, Matthew didn't need to do what he did for me."_

"_Emily," Dave said wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her chin, where their eyes met, "It wasn't your fault, none of what happened to Matthew was your fault. None of what happened almost 20 years ago is going to change how I feel about you. Don't you ever doubt that. What you did at 15, made you the strong, independent, beautiful woman that you are today." Dave whispered against Emily's ear as her tears soaked his shirt._

"_Dave, it's okay. I will understand if you don't want to be with me. I don't want you to think that this is a mistake. I have made so many mistakes in my life, and I don't want you to have to be a part of my mistakes too."_

"_Emily Katherine Prentiss," Dave said meeting Emily's eyes, "I love every part of you, even all of your mistakes. You are not a mistake, we are not a mistake. You did what you had to do at 15."_

"_Dave, how can you still love me?" Emily asked as he wiped more tears off her cheeks._

"_Cara. Have you not listened to anything that I just said?"_

"_I heard you."_

"_Don't doubt us, Cara." Dave said stroking Emily's cheek_

"_I don't. I might have before but I don't now." Emily said before kissing Dave's palm._

"_Emily. I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you in Italy." John Cooley says before patting her arm and walking away. Looking into the sky, Emily feels the snowflakes fall against her cheeks._

"_Penny for your thoughts?" Dave said placing his hand on Emily's shoulder as she turned towards Dave. "What are you thinking about Cara?" _

"_What did I do to deserve this?" Emily whispered_

"_You didn't deserve this." _

"_Why did this happen to my friends, Dave? Why does this always happen to me?" Emily whispered through her tears._

"_Emily, you know that I can't answer that."_

"_I'm gonna take a walk."_

"_Do you want some company?" Dave asked as Emily turned to walk away._

"_No. I need some time to think."_

_After Emily had walked for quite some time, how long, she couldn't remember anymore, she found her way back to her apartment. She dug the keys from her pocket and unlocked the door before removing her wet coat and boots. Rounding the corner, Emily froze when she saw Dave sitting on her couch._

_Emily walked over and sat down beside him._

"_You don't have to talk, I just didn't want you to be alone tonight." Dave said as Emily snuggled into Dave's side. Dave just sat with Emily as she cried for the loss of her friend, and the loss of her baby. Dave soothed her tears without saying a word._

"_John was the father." Emily whispered against Dave's chest_

"_I know." Dave said running his fingers through her hair._

"_He didn't want anything to do with me. When I told him that I was pregnant, he told me that he wanted nothing to do with me. I was stupid to believe that he loved me. The one chance I had to have a child, I was still a child myself and I blew it. I haven't had a chance to be a mother, because of my past."_

"_Emily, you will get the chance to be a mother, I promise." Dave whispered into her hair. " I promise Emily, no matter what we have to do, you will get the chance to be a mother."_

"_I don't deserve you Dave." Emily said._

"_Of course you do. I'm here with you, I will be here with you until my heart stops beating."_

"Mommy! Mommy!" Mia's voice brought Emily back to reality.

"Yeah Mia."

"'atch tis!" She called as she tossed a ball with her dad. Emily felt the tears fill her eyes as she remember her conversation with Dave after the team had saved John Cooley. She didn't believe she would have to chance to be a mother again, but Dave was right. Here she was, sitting on the back porch watching her husband and her daughter play, as her son made his presence known through a swift kick to Emily's kidney.

Emily settled her feet on Dave's lap after he read Mia a bedtime story. Dave immediately rubbed Emily's tired and swollen feet.

"What's been on your mind today Cara? You have been thinking about something really hard all day. I can still hear those gears turning in that head of yours." Dave teased

"It's been 5 years."

"I know, I remember. Is that what you have been thinking about all day?" Dave asked

"I was more or less thinking about what you said to me after I came back from my walk. Remember?"

"Yes. I told you that you would get the chance to be a Mother, and look at you. You are about to be a mother for a second time. Mia loves you, our son is gonna love you. I love you and I always will."

"I love you too Dave, without you, I wouldn't have Mia, and we wouldn't have a son." Emily said placing a chaste kiss on his lips.

"I have been thinking about a name for the baby," Dave said rubbing Emily's stomach, "I think we should name him Matthew."

"Dave, we don't have to." Emily said as tears started welling up in her eyes.

"Matthew was an important part of your life, and you are an important part of mine."

"David?"

"Yes?"

"No, I want the baby to have a part of you too. I want him to be named after his daddy." Emily said wrapping her arms around Dave's neck.

"The world doesn't need another David Rossi." Dave joked.

"True. One David Rossi is enough. How about Matthew Anthony Rossi?"

"It's perfect. What do you think, Matthew? Do you like it?" David asked rubbing Emily's stomach.

"Thank you." Emily whispered.

"For what?"

"You kept your promise Dave. Thank you."

"No problem Cara. I told you that you would be a mother not matter what.

"No matter what. I love you Dave.

"I love you too Em."

**R&R please and thank you! Don't forget about what I said in my author's note. Ideas are great, I welcome them with open arms.**


	4. Presents and Pregnancies

**In case anyone is wondering, I don't know how long this is going to be or anything, so just bear with me and tell me if it gets to boring. **

**Did anyone else hear about Garcia being in both the original Criminal Minds and the new spinoff as well, but they cut Paget's episode and they completely cut out JJ, wtf?  
**

Dave groaned as he met the cold spot in the bed where his wife normally sleeps. He glances at the clock and notices that it is too early for Emily or Mia to be awake. He figures that the baby is being harsh on Emily's stomach this morning and she went to find comfort in a warm cup of tea and a cozy blanket. After Dave fought with the idea of sleep for several minutes, he decided to close his eyes, once again attempting to drift off.

"Hurry, Mommy. Daddy gonna 'ake up soon." Dave heard Mia say from the other said of the closed door.

"Mia, shhh! Daddy will hear you." Emily whispered before pushing open the door. Dave kept his eyes closed as Mia climbed onto the bed.

"Daddy," Mia said shaking her father's arm "Daddy 'ake up" Mommy turned to look at her mother before turning back to Dave and attempting to wake her father again. "Daddy. Wake up! Mommy, daddy not 'ake up." Mia said looking back at her mother. Emily just playing along because she could see his chest rising and falling with every breath, she also noted that he was not sleeping.

"Mia, maybe you should tickle him." Emily suggested

"Mommy, Daddy's not 'icklis."

"All Daddy's are ticklish somewhere."

"Really?" Mia questioned

"Oh yeah. You want to know where this one is ticklish at?" Emily asked before Mia violently nodded her head.

"Right here" Emily said pointing to Dave's foot that she sticking out of the covers. Emily watched with a smile on her face as her daughter stood up on the bed and placed herself on Dave's shin before using her small hands to tickle the bottom of his foot. Dave started squirming trying to keep his laughter to a minimum.

"I think it is working Mia." Emily encouraged as Mia continued to tickle her father. Dave sat up in the bed without Mia knowing and grabbed her, laying her down beside him and tickling her sides as she giggled and screamed.

"Daddy! Stop!" Mia managed to scream through fits of laughter. "Mommy, help me!" Mia cried as Emily leaned over and kissed Dave's bare shoulder. Dave's tickling assault stopped for mere seconds as he focused on Emily's lips. Emily moved her lips to Dave's neck as he continued to tickle their daughter. Dave groaned at the sensation of his wife's lips on his neck.

"Okay, Okay. I give up!" Dave said throwing his hands up in mock surrender. Dave turned towards Emily before pointing at his lips.

"Ohh, Alright." Emily said before leaning in and placing a passionate kiss on his lips.

"Happy Birthday David" Emily whispered against his lips.

"Eww!" Mia squealed as her parents leaned in to kiss again. Both Emily and Dave laughed at their daughter as Emily climbed into bed beside her husband.

"'appy Biftday Daddy" Mia squealed as her mother passed her a small brightly colored box. Mia jumped into her father's lap before shoving the present into his hands.

"Thank you princess. I love it. It's beautiful" Dave said

"Silly daddy, You...you...you hafta to... to.. open the box first." Mia said pointing at the package in his hands. Emily smiled as she noticed one from Mia's newest developments, which was that her excitement sometimes caused her to stutter. Both Dave and Emily were concerned at first, but not only Mia's Doctor, but Reid had conformed that stuttering was absolutely normal.

"Why don't you help me?" David asked setting the package between them. Dave smiled as Mia ripped away the paper and handed him the box. After removing the lid, and pushing aside some tissue paper Dave smiled down at a beautiful princess castle picture frame. Removing the frame from it's box, Dave got a closer look at the picture. The picture was taken after Mia's second birthday party, and they were having tea in her new princess bedroom. Mia had a small crown on her head and she was perched on her father's lap, both with huge smiles on their faces.

'Thank you' Dave mouthed to Emily as she just nodded her welcome.

"I love it Mia!" Dave said pulling her into a hug. Mia just giggled and smiled before reaching for another box. This box was a long skinny rectangle, with shiny silver paper.

"Tis is Mommy's" Mia said before handing the box off to Dave.

"_Emily! Cara, are you here?" Dave called as he opened the front door of the cabin._

"_Upstairs Dave!" Emily called back as Dave was settling his stuff on the counter before following Emily's voice to the master bedroom. Dave smiled as he noticed that she had spent the entire day unpacking her boxes. _

"_Em?" Dave asked after scanning the room and not seeing her inside._

"_In the closet" She called, Dave walked across the room and to the walk in closet where Emily was hanging up clothes. Dave wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back against his chest._

"_I missed you Cara." Dave whispered in her ear before she turned around to face him._

"_Happy Birthday David," Emily whispered against his lips "I'm glad that you are back. I missed you." She said before pressing her lips to his._

"_I have a present for you." She whispered once their lips parted and she regained her breath._

"_I don't need a present Cara, All I need is for you to go get on the bed." Dave said in a low voice, that caused Emily to shiver._

"_You will like this gift, I promise. Go get on the bed, I will go get it." Emily said before pushing Dave out the door._

_With the present in question in hand, Emily climbed on the bed and sat Indian style across from Dave._

"_Here" Emily said before handing Dave a long skinny rectangle box with shiny silver paper. Dave peeled the paper from the box, and removed the lid. Inside the box, was a little white stick._

"_Em?" Dave asked looking up from the box to meet her big brown eyes. Emily said nothing but watched with faded breaths as Dave removed the stick from the box and he finally saw what the present said. Looking between Emily and the stick in his hand with the word **Pregnant** in a small window at the end._

"_Dave, I'm pregnant." Emily whispered. _

"_We're having a baby? We're having a baby! I'm gonna be a Daddy." Dave said before wrapping his arms around Emily and pulling her into his lap. Emily smiled against Dave's lips as his tongue traced the outline of her lips._

"_I'm so happy Em" Dave said before placing his hand on Emily's stomach "How long?"_

"_I'm almost 2 months." Emily said_

"_Mio Dio Cara! I love you!" Dave said before capturing her lips with his once again._

"Dave!" Emily yelled, "Are you just gonna stare at the box?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"No, I was just thinking about the last time, I got a box like this. It was 4 years ago and you told me that you were pregnant with Mia."

"Well Dave, you don't have to worry about that this time." Emily said gesturing to her 8 month pregnant belly. "You already know about this one." Emily said rubbing her stomach.

"I was just thinking about how much I love you, and how you always give the past presents." Dave said as he ruffled Mia's hair. Mia giggled before jumping into Dave's lap, without any concern about causing him any pain. Dave groaned loudly as Mia's butt collided with a very delicate part of his anatomy.

"I might not have to worry about getting any presents like that one anymore if your daughter keeps jumping on the merchandise." Dave said closing his eyes in pain.

"My daughter? Why is she only my daughter when you get hurt doing something with her?" Emily asked with a smirk on her face.

"Cause she is my daughter when she is causing trouble for you, so it is only fair that she is your daughter when she causes trouble for me and the boys." Dave said whispering at the last words.

"Ohh poor boys. The boys didn't have any problems last night and if I remember correctly you took quite a hit yesterday with the baseball bat." Emily replied.

"Okay, smart ass."

"Ohh, Mommy! Daddy, he...he...he said a bad word." Mia yelled pointing a finger at Dave.

"He sure did sweetheart. David, watch your mouth. I'm gonna shoot you with your own gun if she says one of those words in the presence of your mother, or my mother or God help us in the presence of Jimmy."

"If that is the only thing she gets from us, is an overt love of cuss words, then I will be a happy father."

"What are you trying to say Mr. I Have Been Married 3 Times and Am The Cause For Every Fraternization Rule In The Bureau?" Emily asked crossing her arms across her chest.

"I'm not that old but if I remember correctly I have been married 4 times, and the last time is to a beautiful, intelligent, sexy woman that didn't care about those rules." Dave said flashing Emily one of his infamous smiles.

"Kiss my ass"

"Ohh Mommy! You said a bad word too." Mia yelled pointing a finger at Emily.

"Sometimes, It's okay for Mommy to say bad words because sometimes Daddy deserves to hear them." Emily said as Dave rolled his eyes.

"So..so..so.. I can call Daddy an ask." Mia asked flashing her mother those infamous Prentiss eyes and a David Rossi smile.

"No ma'am. You can't call Daddy anything but Daddy, no matter how mad he makes you."

"Okay Mommy." Mia said wrapping her arms around Emily's neck.

"I love you baby, can Mommy have a kiss?" Emily asked puckering her lips out, Mia puckered her lips out and gave her mom a gentle kiss on the lips.

"Thank you, give one to Daddy too, cause it is his birthday after all." Emily said smiling at Dave as Mia climbed over to her dad.

"I thought you forgot it was my birthday Em."

"Even if you are an A-S-S sometimes, I could never forget anything about you. I love you, A-S-S and all."

**R&R please. Don't forget about what I said about my other stories in previous author's notes. If you have any ideas for anything that you would like the Rossi Family to go through, just give me a shout and we will see if I can work it into my story.**


	5. Critical Fears

**First, I have to thank the amazing Kate aka flashpenguin for inspiration, and help with this chapter. Her help with this chapter will allow for the next few chapters. Without her this chapter probably wouldn't have even become anything. I'm so amazed by her stories, and her insight on Dave and Em. If you haven't read her stories, you should. Second of all, don't forget that I still need ideas for my Hotch/OC story. Thanks for reading! R&R **

During both her pregnancy with Mia and her current pregnancy with Matthew, nightmares brought on by an influx of hormones and her husbands absence plagued her sleep.

Dave and the team were just an hour away, and just a phone call away in case Emily went to labor. After settling Mia into her bed, and finally calming Matthew down, Emily climbed into the bed she shared with Dave for almost 6 years now. Wrapping her arms tight around Dave's pillow, she drifted off to sleep with her mind clouded by the lingering scent she inhaled from his pillow.

_Emily was definitely having BAU withdrawals. _

_Dave and the team were on their first case since she decided to work from home, only doing phone consults, and helping on a few cases via webcam. Feeling stir-crazy at home, Emily decided to take Mia and go pay Garcia a visit. Walking into her lair, as everyone had so rightfully dubbed it, Emily smiled as she heard Garcia once again flirting over the phone with Morgan._

"_Hey! There are my two favorite girls! Mama Bear and little Mia. Give me my goddaughter," Garcia demanded, standing up and stretching her arms towards Mia._

"_Can you give me some sort of update about the case? Dave decided that it would be best to keep me out of the loop during the case unless Hotch asks for my help."_

"_It's a bad one. The Unsub is kidnapping mothers and their children."_

"_Oh God. That's why Dave didn't want to tell me," Emily said running her hands over her face._

"_He holds them for three days before shooting the mother with a single gunshot to the chest, and then he drowns the children within 48 hours Once both are gone, he hunts for the next set of victims."_

"_Connect me to them, Garcia. They, meaning Dave; he needs to see that we are okay," Emily insisted before grabbing Mia from Garcia's lap. Patiently, Emily stood and waited while Garcia implemented keystrokes at the speed of light. Suddenly the full sized screen lit up as the connection was made._

"_What's up Garcia?" Hotch says as he appears on screen._

"_Hey Boss. I hate to bother you; is Rossi around?" Garcia asks, before Hotch turns the computer towards Dave._

"_What's is the problem Kitten?" Dave asked as his face came on the screen.._

"_Sir, I have someone that you might want to see," Garcia said before pushing her chair to the side, allowing Mia and Emily to step into the frame._

"_Say hi to Daddy," Emily said as she waved at the screen. Mia mimicked her movements._

"_Hi Mia, how are you pretty girl?" Dave asked as he gave her a big smile._

"_Say I ate rice cereal this morning, then Mommy gave me a bath, and I ate sweet potatoes for the first time today."_

"_Was it good baby?"_

"_Say, yeah Daddy. I ate almost all of my sweet potatoes."_

"_That's my big girl." _

"_I hope you don't mind us bugging you. I thought this might be good for your peace of mind. Garcia told me about the case."_

"_I didn't want you to know."_

"_David, I'm a big girl. I have seen a lot of things. You don't have to protect me. But I know that this case hits close to home for you. That's why I wanted you to know that we are safe…" Her words trailed off. They both knew that Dave would be seeing his girls in the faces of his victims. Emily had to give him that bit of reassurance that not everything was out of control.  
_

_Dave's features softened. "I know. Thanks, I really needed this a lot." Emily could hear Hotch's voice in the background. Dave turned to answer him and then turned back to the computer. "Hotch just got a call from the chief investigator; we have to go and check out a possible lead." _

"_Say bye-bye to Daddy." Emily held up Mia's hand and waved._

"_Babababa," Mia giggled as she gave her version of a wave to her father._

"_Bye Dave. Come back to me."_

"_I always do. I love you Cara," Dave said before the screen went black._

"_I love you too Dave," Emily whispered still looking at the black screen. Always a blank screen when Dave left._

The phone was ringing in the distance. Groggily, Emily tried to come into the present. Shifting her weight, she pushed the pillow away and reached for the receiver.

"Hello?" Emily greeted, her voice thick with sleep.

"Emily?"

"Yes?"

"It's Hotch."

Her brain clouded with remnants of the dream, she rubbed her eyes and tried to focus. Reaching over to the digital clock, she held it to her face. _4:47._

"Hotch, it's almost five in the morning," she yawned. "What's wrong?"

"Emily…it's Dave. I'm not sure…"

Wide awake, Emily sat straight up in bed. "What happened to Dave?" Too many years of being an ambassador's daughter and then a profiler kept her from responding hysterically.

"He's at the hospital. He was hit by a car." His words sank in before adding, "He's critical."

"What?" Of all the words screaming in her brain, that was the only one to make it to her lips.

"Em, I am coming over with JJ to pick you up."

"The baby," Emily babbled, "the baby is asleep. I can't wake Mia."

"Em, calm down," Hotch ordered. "We will be there in about twenty minutes. Can you be ready?"

Emily tried to blink back the tears. "I- I think so."

"Okay." Hotch disconnected the call.

Standing up, Emily stared at the clock on the nightstand. _4:50._ Had only three minutes passed?

Walking over to the closet, she turned on the light and searched through the hangers for something appropriate to wear. _What did one wear to the hospital to see their dying husband? Stop it Emily! He's not dying. Critical is just a status not a condition. Get it together now!_ She ordered herself. Grabbing the maternity smock, Emily peeled off her nightgown and pulled the dress over her head. Straightening it, she buttoned the top three buttons and pulled her hair out of the collar. Turning around, she looked in the mirror. Cupping her stomach, she tried to soothe the restless movements.

In the distance, she heard the door bell.

Carefully she lumbered down the stairs. Looking through the peep hole, she spied Hotch and JJ. Quickly she turned the lock to let them in. As she opened the door, she watched Hotch's face.

"Oh God!" she whispered.

"Emily, are you alright?" Hotch asked as he moved toward her.

Covering her hand over her mouth, she mumbled: "I'm going to be sick." Rushing to the guest bathroom, Emily barely made it to the toilet. Hearing the retching from inside, Hotch turned to JJ.

"I'll go check on her," JJ offered and went to help her friend.

"Em?" JJ asked pushing open the bathroom door. JJ felt the tears well up in her eyes when she took in the sight of Emily. Emily was sitting in the bathroom floor with her back against the tub, cradling her stomach with tears streaming down her face.

"JJ," Emily sobbed as JJ knelt down beside her. "Oh god." She wailed as JJ wrapped her arms around her.

"Em, we need to go." JJ said as she helped Emily to her feet and out of the bathroom. Neither woman said anything as they walked from the front door to the SUV.

The ride to the hospital was quiet, eerily quite, the only sounds filling the SUV were Mia's light snores, and her mothers hitched breathing and quiet sobs. Hotch and JJ said nothing, they just watched as their friends' lives crumbled before their eyes. No matter how fast Hotch drove away from Little Creek, it wasn't fast enough for Emily. Emily couldn't gather the words to ask Hotch what happened, and she knew that Hotch wouldn't have the words to say what she wanted to hear. Emily couldn't wrap her mind around a life, her life without Dave in it.

Before the SUV even came to a stop, Emily had her door open and was climbing out. Hotch followed behind Emily as she headed straight to the nurses station.

"I'm Emily Rossi, my husband was.."

"Yes Mrs. Rossi. Follow me please."

"Hotch.." Emily started as Hotch reached out and grabbed her hand.

"Em. Go. Dave needs you." Hotch said before he let go of her hand and watched her as she followed the nurse through a pair of heavy of metal doors. As the doors swung door, Hotch couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt as his best friend's life hung in the balance, and his friend's family structure crashed around them.

**ohh! What is going to happen? Cliffy! **


	6. Back To Her

**Once again, I have to thank the amazing Kate aka flashpenguin for being an amazing Beta and a great confidence booster. Thanks to everyone who reads this story. I hope I'm doing justice to a great group of characters. R&R**

Taking a seat in one of those hard plastic hospital chairs, Aaron Hotchner contemplated his friend's fate. Not knowing what else to do with his time, Hotch thought about every possible scenario for the situation. He could lose his best friend, the BAU could lose one of its founding members, Emily could lose her husband, her best friend, her lover, Mia could lose her father, and Matthew could never meet his father. Or in the best case scenario, everything could turn out okay.

"Oh God," Hotch muttered running his hands down his face. Hotch lifted his eyes at the sound of approaching feet. Somber eyes meet as the team surrounds him. He can tell that Garcia has been crying as she cuddles a sleeping Mia against her shoulder. Morgan's hand rests on her back. Questions are flying a hundred miles a minute, and the only answer Hotch has is none that they would want to hear.

Reid, Morgan and Hotch step off to the side as JJ and Garcia take a seat on a small couch, receiving comfort from one another.

"What happened Hotch?" Reid asked pacing in the small space in front of the other men.

"Oh God. This is all my fault." Hotch looked from his teammate's eyes to the ground. "We had Davis in custody. I was loading him in the cruiser," Hotch said closing his eyes and frowning before continuing, "Dave went to grab evidence out of the SUV for the LEO's to take back to the station and when I turned around. Damn it happened so fast. Dave was fine, closing the door and then the drunk driver just came out of nowhere." Hotch covered his face trying to erase the memory.

"Fuck!" Morgan said and punched the wall beside him.

"Morgan, calm down." Hotch warned as Morgan flashed and angry look before storming down the hallway towards the cafeteria.

"Emily needs him, Hotch. Dave's gonna be okay, right?" Reid asked looking at Hotch for some sign of hope.

"I don't know Spencer. Know this, Dave will fight for Emily, he will fight for his family. He won't give up." Hotch said lowering himself onto the plastic bench.

"Spencer, I promised her. When they got married, I promised her that I would keep Dave safe, and back him home. I failed Reid. Oh God." Hotch said resting his elbows on his knees before leaning forward and rubbing his hands over his face.

"Hotch, there is no way that you could have seen that coming. Medical equipment is improving and since reaching a peak in 1988, fatalities from drunk driving are at an all time low. Just last year, 37,261 people died in the entire US, Hotch that's 3.2% of the entire population of the US."

"Statistics don't mean anything when your friend's life is on the line. Nothing is gonna make me feel any different until I know that everything is okay," Hotch replied wryly as Reid takes a sits down beside him.

"Fuck!" Morgan muttered as he grabbed his cup of coffee causing the hot liquid to slosh over the rim and burn his hand.

All that is running through his mind is how Emily's life will fall apart without Dave in it. He can't help but smile remembering the first time he heard Dave sweet talk Emily. Morgan, and every man in America, could take some lessons from Dave on how to woo and treat a woman. Even before the two were married, Morgan and the rest of the team knew that this would be the final marriage for Dave.

"_That's my favorite dress Cara. Did you know that?" Dave asked as the team gathered in his living room. Morgan rounded the corner to the kitchen, watching as Dave and Emily stood in front of the stove._

"_Dave, all of my dresses are your favorites," Emily said turning to face him._

"_Not true, Cara," Dave replied smoothly, pulling Emily close to him and arching his eyebrows, "This one is definitely my favorite."_

"_Someone is trying to get lucky tonight" Emily said giving Dave a peck on the lips._

"_It's not trying when you're as good as me, Cara." Dave said as he delivered a loving pat to her ass and walked away._

Morgan prays for the first time since Garcia was shot, that everything would be okay and Dave would come back to them. Deep down inside he knows that he will be as happy as they are one day, and clings to the hope that his prayers will be answered. For everyone.

Once he rejoined the team, Morgan sat down beside Garcia. He glanced around the room before gazing upon the mini version of Emily sleeping in Garcia's lap.

"Do you think that I could hold her?" Morgan asked reaching his hands towards the small child. Garcia gave him a small smile before allowing Morgan to move the littlest Rossi to rest with her head on his shoulder.

Maybe only an hour or so had passed since the team came together, but no one really knew how long since losing track after the first twenty minutes. Morgan looked down at the little brown head of hair squirming in his lap.

"Unca 'erek?" Mia murmured against his neck.

"Yeah Sweetheart" Morgan whispered.

"Where's Mommy?"

"She is with Daddy, Baby," Morgan answered rubbing her back.

"Where's tat?"

"Daddy is with the doctor," Morgan said as she lifted her head to look at him.

"I want Daddy," Mia whispered as her eyes filled with tears.

"I know you do. Daddy got hurt and Mommy is making sure that he is okay," Morgan assured with more hope than he felt as he guided Mia's head back down against his shoulder.

At that moment, Morgan realized that not only Emily's life could change, but also the life of the little girl asleep in his lap, and the life of a little boy who had yet to see the world.


	7. Back To Them

**Throughout this chapter are little tidbits from some conversations with my Beta. We have the weirdest conversations and then boom! an idea. Anways, I have to shout out to Kate aka flashpenguin once again. She is amazing, go check her out. R&R!**

xxxxxxxx

From her place on the far side of the room away from the team JJ glances around the room, noticing the somber looks on each and every team member's faces. Her gaze finally fell upon the small brown-haired girl nestled asleep against Morgan, causing JJ to think about how much Emily's life has changed since Dave got involved.

"_What movie does everyone want to watch?" Dave asked as he walked from the kitchen to the living room._

"_I think we should watch a James Cameron movie, his movies are really good." Morgan says._

"_Then we should watch Terminator, it's one of his best." Emily argues._

"_True Lies" Morgan argues back._

"_Avatar" Emily replies sharply._

"_Titanic" Morgan says suddenly as the whole room went silent._

"_Well, I think we should watch 'You've Got Mail', it's such a cute movie; kinda like Titanic." JJ jokes, flashing a smile towards Morgan from her spot on the couch beside Hotch._

"_Come on JJ, we need to watch something like Indiana Jones; it has action and a great story line." Emily replied from Dave's side after he settled on the couch._

"_Em, you just want to watch Indiana Jones because you have a thing for Harrison Ford." Garcia pointed out as Dave shot a look at Emily._

"_Fine Garcia, you're right, but I mean the first time I saw Harrison as Han Solo, I was only 6 but I wanted to marry that man." _

"_No sweetie. Don't get me wrong I like Harrison but he is no Pierce Brosnan." Garcia added._

"_Think about Harrison in a tux compared to Pierce, I mean so amazing." Emily said finally noticing Dave's glare and immediately looked towards the floor._

"_No Emily. Two words, Remington Steele." _

"_Garcia! Han Solo and Indiana Jones."_

"_Emily! Remington Steele and James Bond."_

"_Okay, so maybe Pierce as James Bond but no way better than Han Solo. I still melt every-time I see Star Wars." Emily says as Dave looks at her with raised eyebrows._

"_Really? Cara, what am I? Chopped liver?"_

"_No Dave, it's just I was…" Emily started before Dave silenced her by pressing his lips softly against hers. _

_"Okay then," Hotch says awkwardly as many team members close their mouths, "I think we should watch a Rat Pack Film." _

_"Finally someone with taste" Dave agrees._

_"Wow Em, Indiana Jones, James Bond and David Rossi." Garcia jokes._

_"Finally we know how old you two really are." Morgan says pointing at Hotch and Dave._

_"Hey, Dean Martin is a classic" Dave argues_

_"Rossi, you are a classic" Morgan replies as Garcia tried to hide her smile._

_"Technically Rossi is a classic, He is one of the original BAU Members" Reid says quietly._

_"Reid, the only thing you have said all night, is that I'm a classic. You could have just called me old; it probably would have hurt less." Dave asked placing his hand on his chest in fake pain._

"_Oh, poor baby," Emily soothed lovingly, kissing Dave's cheek and patting his chest._

Wiping away the tear that slipped from her eye, at the memory of a better time for all of them, JJ sent up a silent prayer to whoever was listening that everything would be okay.

xxxxxxxxx

Waiting was the hardest part, strangely Garcia had been in Dave's place but she still learned the pain of waiting. She knew that this was hard on the whole team but she couldn't imagine what Emily was going through. Garcia thought about Emily having to care for herself, her children and Dave all at the same time when people really aren't caring for her, not that Emily would care. Looking at the brown-haired little girl with Dave's eyes sleeping beside her, Garcia thought about times when things were happier for everyone.

"_Oh God, Garcia" Emily moans in pain as a contraction hits and she grips Garcia's hand._

"_I'm so sorry sweetie." Garcia whispers as she watches Emily grimace in pain._

"_It's not your fault. It's Dave's. 'You'll be fine. Just remember to breathe and push. You can do this Cara'," Emily said in a mock-Dave voice. "Well, Garcia, Everything is not fine! I feel like I'm being ripped apart." Emily moaned out in pain._

"_Em, it's not that I don't want to be here. I'm honored that you want me to help usher a mini-Rossi into the world, but why isn't Dave here?" Garcia asks as Emily let out a sigh and relaxed._

"_Truthfully, I'm afraid of him seeing me like this. I want him to be here, don't get me wrong, but I just didn't know how to ask him." Emily whispered. As soon as the words slipped from Em's mouth, Garcia hatched a plan._

"_Hun, I'm gonna go let the team know what is going on, will you be okay for a few minutes?" _

_As soon as the team saw Garcia walk down the hallway towards the waiting room, everyone stood to their feet. _

"_What's up, baby girl? Do we have a baby yet?" Morgan asked._

"_Not yet. Sir," Garcia said looking at Dave, "Can I talk to you?"_

"_Sure," Dave said standing up and following Garcia away from the group, "What's going on, Kitten?"_

"_I'm not really sure how to say this, but I'm not the one that needs to be in that room." _

"_She doesn't want me with her." _

"_She wants you there more than she lets on, Sir." Garcia said putting her hand on Dave's arm. _

"_I don't know if I can, I'm afraid." Dave said softly._

"_Sir, you need to get in there and help deliver YOUR child or you can say goodbye to that new book you have been working on." Garcia said with a straight face._

"_You wouldn't?" Dave questioned, raising his eyebrow._

"_I would, now lets go." Garcia said pulling him with her along the hallway._

"_Em?" Dave asks as he and Garcia enter the room. He frowns when he sees her grimacing in pain._

"_Dave? What are you..? Garcia!" Emily replied through clenched teeth._

"_How are you Princess?" Garcia asked as she and Dave take a spot by the side of her bed._

"_The doctor just left. He said with the next hour or so."_

"_That's great! Can you hold down the fort, Sir? I need to go tell the team," Garcia announced, looking between Emily and Dave._

"_Penelope..." Emily starts as Garcia approaches the door._

"_You'll be fine," Garcia replied over her shoulder._

_As soon as Garcia left the two alone, Dave held Em's hand as she clenched her teeth through the pain. _

_A nurse came in and gave Em a quick check before flashing a look at the two first time parents. Grabbing the phone in her frantic hands, the nurse dialed a number._

"_Notify Dr. Ross that the baby is starting to crown. Let L&D know that we are on our way," the nurse ordered before hanging up as people started moving about the room._

"_Dave? Dave! What's going on? Whoa! Wait! I need Pen! Dave, go find Pen," Emily said frantically._

"_Sir, we need to move her to L&D right now," a nurse stated as they started wheeling Em's bed out of the room and down the hallway._

"_Dave, I need Pen," Emily whispered._

"_Sorry, Cara but you're stuck with me."_

"_Dave?" Emily asked looking around the room._

"_I'm here Cara," Dave assured brushing his knuckles against Emily's cheek._

"_The baby is coming." _

"_I know. I'm going to go tell the team." _

"_No, you are staying here. You got me into this; you are going to be here when our daughter arrives!"_

"_Okay. I'm right here Em. I promise."_

"_I need to push!" Emily screamed clutching Dave's hand causing him to groan in pain._

"_Holy shit Em! I need that! That's my book signing hand!" Dave groaned. Emily looked over at him shooting daggers from her eyes._

"_You're gonna learn to sign with the other if they don't let me push!" Emily screamed squeezing Dave's hand tighter._

"_Okay Emily. When I say push, I need you to bear down and push, you need to push for ten seconds," Dr. Ross said. "Dad, you have to help her sit up." He informed Dave before looking at Emily's face. "Emily, do you have the urge to push?" _

"_No shit Sherlock!" Emily screamed._

_Dave and the doctor exchanged quick looks. "Okay…I'll take that as a yes. Push!" Dr. Ross demanded. Emily started to push gritting her teeth trying to bite back a scream. She could vaguely hear Dr. Ross counting the seconds, but all she could focus on was the pain. "Relax, Emily." _

"_You're doing great Cara." Dave said._

"_David, shut up! I'm pushing a 7lb watermelon out of something the size of a lemon!" Emily growled through her teeth._

"_Emily, give me another push," Dr. Ross encouraged. Both Dave and Emily were more focused on pain than the fact that Dr. Ross had told them that she just had to push the shoulders out. Emily collapsed back against the pillows._

"_You just need to push the shoulders out, Emily," Dr Ross repeated.._

"_I can't." She was exhausted. She couldn't keep going._

"_Yes you can Cara. You can do this. Let's see our daughter," Dave encouraged, placing a gentle kiss on Emily's damp fore head after pushing her hair back._

"_Push Emily!" Dr. Ross said for what both Emily and Dave hoped was the last time and it was. Emily screamed as she felt the baby slip from her body. Relieved and exhausted, she collapsed against Dave. "It's a girl."_

_Dave sat beside Emily on the bed as she cradled their daughter against her chest. There was a soft knock on the door before the team slipped inside._

"_She's beautiful!" Garcia exclaimed, giving Emily a kiss._

"_She kinda looks like Rossi," Morgan said as he handed Dave the large pink teddy bear and balloons they had bought._

"_No, she has his eyes, the rest is all Emily." JJ cooed and gently ran a finger over the baby's downy soft cheek._

"_What's her name?" Reid asked._

"_Mia Elizabeth Rossi," Emily said proudly smiling down at her daughter._

"_You did good old man." Morgan heartily patted Dave on the back._

_"Congrats you guys," Hotch greeted, stepping into the room from the hallway. Standing beside Emily, he smiled down at the small pink bundle. "She looks just like you Emily," Hotch observed wistfully. _

"_Would you like to hold your Goddaughter, Hotch?" Emily asked looking up at Hotch._

"_Sure." Hotch took the sleeping pink baby from her mother's arms._

"_And JJ we hope that you would be her godmother," Dave said with a soft smile. JJ nodded with tears in her eyes._

"_What about me?" Garcia asked._

"_You were a great coach Pen, and Dave decided that the next one will be yours." _

Garcia smiled at how much Dave and Emily had changed throughout there relationships. Dave and Emily's change changed the team as well. Looking around the room, Garcia realizes that they all needed them both to be okay. Without Dave, Emily would never be the same, and the team wouldn't be the same without them either.

xxxxxxxxx

Reid looked around the waiting room, trying to rationalize the situation in his mind, trying to fill his mind with statistics about the outcome. Nothing pushed away his fear. Reid tries to rationalize that both Emily and Dave are strong, that they have been through so much. Reid looks up to them separately and as a couple. Ever since the first time, he saw them together outside of work, he has longed for what they have. He knows that he could handle the loneliness, he has had to his whole life and he was plenty used to it, but Emily, she didn't and deserved to be happy. She finally was happy and something comes to take it away. Not quite sure he even knows what he is doing, Reid starts praying, talking, pleading to whoever is listening that they can't take Dave away from Emily, they just can't.


	8. Back To Me

**I could never thank Kate aka flashpenguin aka My Amazing Beta enough. We have all day conversations that sometimes play little parts in my stories. Without her inspiration and sometimes that little push she gives me, I probably would have stopped this story a couple of chapters back. She has some amazing stories and if you haven't read them yet, read this then go check her out. Don't forget to R&R!  
**

Without a second thought as to safety, Emily jumped out of the SUV just as Hotch brought it to a stop. Her feet clomped on the ground as she awkwardly rushed towards the front doors of the hospital without so much as a second glance to see if anyone was following. She was on a mission to find out about her husband since no one seemed to be forthcoming with the information. In the short distance from the SUV to the nurse's station, Hotch had caught up to Emily and was by her side when she spoke.

"I'm Emily Rossi; my husband was brought in…" Emily said not having a chance to finish before the nurse cut her off.

"Yes Mrs. Rossi. Follow me please." The nurse motioned for Emily to come with her.

"Hotch…" Emily began as he reached out and grabbed her hand, guilt written all over his face.

"Em. Go. Dave needs you." Hotch watched as Emily drew her lips together and tears sprang to her eyes. Squeezing her fingers tightly, he tried to transfer his strength to her before letting go of her hand.

Somber and quiet, Emily followed the nurse through the heavy double metal doors. As the doors closed, the nurse asked Emily how she and the baby were doing. Emily replied they were fine and asked when she could see Dave. The nurse placed her hand on Emily's arm before turning towards the scared woman.

"If you'll wait here, the doctor will be with you in a couple of minutes." Turning away, the nurse left Emily standing in front of the waiting desk. Suddenly the doors opened and a doctor walked toward her. Being a trained profiler gave her the ability to read people but that couldn't prepare her for the bad news she saw in his expression before he could open his mouth.

"Mrs. Rossi, I hate to inform you that your husband is in critical condition. He sustained multiple broken ribs and one of his lungs was punctured. He also had massive internal bleeding, which is why he needed emergency surgery. I hate to inform you that we had to remove his spleen. He also needed two transfusions."

"Is he going to be alright?" Emily whispered.

"Mrs. Rossi…I am not going to lie to you; he sustained massive injuries and trauma. He may have to go back into surgery. I'm going to let you see him for a few minutes before we move him back to the ICU. I have to warn you that he's being heavily sedated and may not be cognizant of your presence." Walking to the cubicle, he parted the curtains and motioned for her to step forward. "I ask that you be prepared before you see him."

Remembering the world of protocol she had been raised in Emily squared her shoulders and donned the invisible cloak of aristocracy. She was, after all, an ambassador's daughter. But even that cultured refinement couldn't prepare her for what she was to see.

Emily thought her heart stopped when she saw the love her life laying on the hospital bed with all kinds of machines hooked up to him. She felt the tears stream down her face when she saw Dave's eyes were closed and pain was written across his face. Even in sleep, she could tell that he was fighting to stay strong and not appear weak. She bit her lip and tried to hold back the tears. It was always about appearance with him. But that was who he was: strong, sure, proud- never showing weakness.

Sitting down on the cold metal stool, Emily took Dave's hand in hers and pressed it to her lips. So cold. Gently she rubbed it to get the blood flowing. Maybe that could help bring him back to her. It couldn't hut. Right?

"Oh Dave how did this happen?" Emily whispered as a few tears slips from her eyes onto his hand. Reaching out, she gently brushed her fingertips across his cheek. "You're not gonna die. You can't die. I need you." Emily wept as she rested her face against Dave's slack palm.

Closely she watched for any sign that he had heard her. She almost missed the REM, but it was there. He had heard her, she knew he had! "Dave, they are gonna fix you and everything is gonna be fine. You're gonna come back to me. Okay? So I'm gonna say it just like I always have. I love you so much David Rossi. Come back to me, okay?" Emily said before gently kissing his lips.

The heart monitor, slow and steady before she had spoken had picked up ever so slightly. There was hope that everything would be okay. Oh please God, please don't take him before he sees his son. I will never ask for anything ever again. Please, please don't take him.

Softly the curtains parted. "Mrs. Rossi? We need to move him to ICU." A couple of orderlies passed her as the started disconnecting the machines and prepping Dave for the move down the hall. Emily leaned forward and kissed Dave's lips before squeezing his hand and making eye contact.

"I love you David Rossi," she whispered and squeezed his hand tightly before they wheeled the bed out of the cubicle and down the hall to the double metal doors. Emily watched as her best friend disappeared between two large metal doors.

Making her way back down the path she took just ten short minutes earlier, feeling more vulnerable than ever she pushed open the doors leading to the waiting room.

The team noticed her and stood but said nothing as she made her way towards them. Her life was collapsing and the one person that always kept her life together was fighting for his life...fighting for their life. Looking away from the floor, Emily met the eyes of each team member. She couldn't get the words to come out of her mouth, no matter how hard she tried, they wouldn't come.

Noticing her daughter sleeping against Morgan, all she wanted to do was grab and hold fast to one of the last pieces of Dave she had and cry. Not wanting to scare her daughter, Emily let her rest and walked toward where Aaron Hotchner sat.

Watching her approach Hotch stood, searching her face for any sort of sign of what happened behind those doors.

"Oh god Hotch" Emily as she throw her arms around him. Hotch rubbed her back as her tears soaked his suit, not that he was really worried about that right now.

"I can't lose him, I need him. He has to be okay. He has to," Emily whispered against Hotch's shoulder as he just held her, not knowing the words to say. Pulling herself together, Emily took a seat on the plastic bench, as Hotch sat back down beside her.

Grasping her hand in his, Hotch tried his best to push past his guilt for now, and comfort his friend.

As time slowly ticked on, Emily not only thought about how much she needed him to be okay, but how much both of her families needed him to be okay.


	9. Full Circle

**Only one or two more chapters left for this story. I already have another one in mind, so be looking out for that sometime soon. Once again, I have to thank the amazing Kate aka flashpenguin for being the best Beta in the entire world. This chapter was definitely a team effort. Thanks so much to all of those that alerted me and this story, and those who review. You guys make my day! So keep an eye out for the next couple of chapters and my next story. Much Love! **

Dark had turned to light, day turned to night, without so much as a word from the doctors which gave everyone hope. Garcia had offered to take Mia back home, a little girl didn't need to sit at the hospital and watch her mother cry. Emily just wanted to be in the room with Dave, holding his hand, letting him know that she is there. She didn't want her best friend to wake up alone. Deep down inside, Emily had promise herself- she had promised Dave that she wouldn't leave; she couldn't leave. No matter what she just couldn't drag herself away, she didn't have the strength to do so.

Emily could see the looks that the team would send her way when they thought she wasn't looking. She didn't want their sympathy, she wanted her husband back. She knew that they were just thinking to take her mind of things for a while, but Emily felt that if she stopped thinking about Dave, it would be like she was letting him die.

"Em?" JJ's voice snapped Emily out of her thoughts. "You want to go get something to eat?" JJ kneeled down in front of Em's chair.

"I can't leave, JJ," Emily whispered.

"Think of Matthew; he needs to eat." JJ tried to reason, hoping that her friend's maternal instincts will kick in.

"I can't leave Dave alone," Emily replied shifting her gaze to the ground.

"Em, he's not alone. Hotch and Morgan are gonna stay here. They will be with him. Let's go eat something," JJ coaxed, helping Em out of her chair as they strode towards the exit. Emily cast a look of her shoulder to Hotch. No words needed to be said; the silent agreement was made: Hotch wouldn't let Dave die.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Thanks JJ, Reid. I really needed this," Emily said taking a bite of her chicken sandwich.

"We are just looking out for you Emily," Reid said quietly. Emily smiled, reaching across the table to grab Reid's hand.

"He's gonna be okay Em." Reid said after he pulled his hand away.

"I don't know what I will do without him Reid." Emily whispered back

"Em, listen to me," JJ said turning to face her friend, "David Rossi is strong, he has everything to live for, he wouldn't give up without a fight."

"I know," Emily whispered before silence fell over their booth and the three finished their meals in silence.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I hate seeing her like this Hotch." Morgan looked around the current vacant waiting room.

"I do too. I feel like this is my fault Morgan." Hotch whispered with a softened expression.

"Hotch; it's not your fault."

"Morgan, when Em decided to retire and stay home with Mia, she made me promise that I would keep Dave safe and make sure he came home. I couldn't keep Haley safe, and I couldn't keep Dave safe. Two of the most important people in my life, and I failed them."

"Hotch, you didn't fail. You could NOT have seen that coming"

Hotch and Morgan both stood as Dr. Greene walked through the double doors.

"Is Mrs. Rossi here?" Dr. Greene asked after noticing the vacant waiting room.

"No, she went out for lunch," Morgan supplied.

"I'm one of his medical proxies," Hotch spoke up trying desperately to read the doctor's face.

"Well Agent Hotchner, we need to take Agent Rossi back into surgery; nothing to worry about. It's a very routine procedure. On his MRI scan, we noticed that the puncture wound in his lung isn't healing quite as well as we would have hoped. It's a relatively short surgery, after this Agent Rossi is expected to make a full recovery." Dr. Greene informed the two somber men, before shaking each of their hands.

"Thank you," Hotch said before Dr. Greene walked back towards the double doors that the team had quickly grown to hate.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After finishing her lunch, part of Reid's and a piece of pie, the trio had opted for a short walk to the park before returning to the hospital. Emily stopped and seated herself on a bench near the fountain. Reid wanted to go comfort her, but stopped. She didn't want him, she wanted Dave. She needed Dave.

"What Hotch?" Reid heard JJ ask as he turned his attention away from Emily.

"Oh God. We are on our way!" JJ said before turning towards Reid. "We have to go back to the hospital now. Dave had to have a simple surgery, about half an hour in Hotch and Morgan heard them call a Code Blue."

Gingerly they approached their friend. "Em? We need to go back to the hospital, something's happened." Reid said quietly, looking down at the ground.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hotch!" Emily cried out as she burst through the doors, surprisingly ahead of JJ and Reid. "What happened?"

"Em...I don't…"

"Tell me!" Emily shouted.

"They took Dave in for surgery. Dr. Greene told me it was routine. Dave coded, but they brought him back. He went into respiratory arrest because he had a lower lobe injury. They just came out before you got here. He is on his way out of surgery, and being moved to recovery," Hotch informed her.

"So, he's okay?" Emily whispered.

"Yeah, he's gonna be fine." Hotch replied as his lips tugging slightly upwards.

"Oh Thank God"

"Mrs. Rossi?" Dr. Greene asked causing Emily to snap her head towards the sound of his voice.

"Yes"

"We are moving your husband into recovery; would you like to see him?"

"Yes" Emily replied quickly, standing to her feet and following the doctor through those dreaded double doors.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was so quiet; Emily could literally hear her heart beating. It never ceased to amaze her how she could remain calm during a shoot out, but when it came to her loved ones, she barely managed to keep it together. Perhaps it was that her love for her family and the fear she had for their safety ran deeper and stronger than the loyalty she felt at work.

But no matter the situation, she did have the fact that she was after all, the daughter of an ambassador and the internal, inbred strength was what propelled her along even during the darkest of times. Much like the dark, deep, black hell she and Dave were in right now.

Walking softly beside the doctor, she wanted to ask him if what he told her was really the truth; Dave was going to recover and come back to her and never leave again.

"Take as much time as you need," Doctor Greene assured her and opened the door to Dave's room. Taking a deep breath, Emily stepped inside. Quietly the door closed behind her with a whisper.

The sound of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room and Emily relished in the beeps that once upon a time had seemed so irritating were now like a mystical melody to her ears. Each beep sang that Dave was alive. And she could never get enough of watching him sleep. Her eyes filled with tears as she watched his chest rhythmically rise and fall. God, how she wanted to touch him, but did she dare? What if it was all a dream and when she reached out he disappeared? Her heart could never bear the pain.

But what if he wasn't?

There was only one way to find out. Softly she crossed the floor to the bed. Setting her purse on the chair, Em stood by Dave's bedside. Reaching down, she held his hand. Not cold, not warm, just real. So real. Carefully she placed it on her belly. Maybe they couldn't feel one another, but they had to know that the other was there just a touch away.

Gently she reached out and touched Dave's face. Running a thumb over his brow and then his lips, she memorized each and every line and wrinkle- determined to make a permanent picture in her mind of the man she loved.

Leaning down, Emily placed her ear against Dave's heart and listened. It was beating. It was real. He was alive. And the tears began to flow.

Soft as a summer breeze and twice as sweet, Emily's breath caught as she felt Dave's hand stroking her hair. Hot tears of joy ran from her eyes to land on his chest.

"Don't cry Tesoro," Dave murmured his voice thick from sleep, pain, and breathing tubes. "There's no need to cry."

"You scared me," Emily chastised.

"I'm sorry."

"If you ever do that again, I'll kill you myself."

Dave continued stroking Em's hair. "That sounds like a good deal." Ever so gently, Dave wrapped his other arm around Em.

"Don't ever let me go."

"Never."


	10. Family For Always

**This might be it guys, the last chapter or I might add one more that will be up to what you guys want. Once again, I have to thank Kate aka flashpenguin for being amazing. Thanks for the reviews, alerts and favorites. I already have another Dave/Em story in the works, it's a prequel of sorts to this story. Much love!**

Staring out through the window pane, Emily watched as the wind blew against the trees and wondered if the snow would fall this year over Little Creek. Lowering herself into the rocking chair by the window, Emily cradled Matthew to her chest, allowing him to be lulled into a deep sleep. Closing her eyes, she hummed a soft tune, as the small infant's breathing slowed. She sat in silence, eyes closed thinking about how truly blessed she was. She had her husband back, Dave got to see the birth of his son, her children would know their father and things were beginning to return to normal. Dave watched from the threshold of the master bedroom as Emily cradled and rocked their son to sleep. He took in the peaceful expression upon her face, as her lips turned upwards in a smile. Glancing from his wife to his son, Dave realized that he wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Lifting his eyes again, he met the beautiful pools of brown that he fell in love with.

"You're home early; I wasn't expecting you for a couple of hours." Emily whispered.

"Well, they let us go early and I thought we could go get the tree-beat the mad rush." Dave said as he leaned forward and gave Emily a quick kiss.

"Sounds like a good idea. What's that?" Emily asked pointing towards the light blue colored box in Dave's hand.

"Oh, it's a little something from Strauss. She's going to be out of town and will miss the christening, so she sent the present home with me," Dave said before setting the present in her lap, and lifting the sleeping infant into his arms. Dave rested his son against his chest as Emily opened the she-devil's present.

"Who would have thought that Strauss had good taste?" Emily asked as she pulled a beautiful handmade yellow blanket from the box. Running her hand over the blanket, Em noticed the soft texture, and the teddy bear patch that was nestled in the middle of the blanket.

"Speaking of crazed women," Emily said with a slight smirk, "Pen has decided that we are going to raise her godson correctly and teach him how to be suave and debonair, not a scoundrel."

"How does she expect us to do that?" Dave asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Apparently, our son is not allowed to watch any Harrison Ford movies. She brought by all of Remington Steele shows and every James Bond movie that Pierce Brosnan was in," Emily said as she stood up from the rocking chair and followed Dave out of their bedroom and towards the nursery.

"He shouldn't have to watch James Bond, when his father is David Rossi; you can't get anymore suave and debonair than me," Dave joked as he laid Matthew in the bassinet and turned on the mobile. The soft strains of Brahms Lullaby helped lull the baby asleep.

Emily rolled her eyes. "I'm not into the debonair type-guys like that are Pen's type. I like my men to be renegades and scoundrels. But I got lucky with you David Rossi; I got a little bit of both."

"So I'm better than any Harrison Ford or Pierce Brosnan?" Dave asked with a raise of his eyebrow.

"Much."

Together they watched their son sleep. Emily reached out and touched the soft downy cheek of the sleeping baby and realized that it was now or never to get her fear off her chest.

"David, we need to talk." Emily whispered, diverting her gaze. She knew he could read her, but she didn't want him to see her fear.

"About what Cara?" Dave asked. He knew it was coming and he braced himself.

Em took a deep breath. "Dave it's been four months, we have to talk about what happened sometime; we can't just keep putting it off."

"Em, it's not that I can't talk about it, or I don't want to. It's just that I'm the strong one, and it scares me to talk about being weak and incapable of being there when you needed me the most."

"Dave, you weren't weak or incapable, you almost died."

"I wasn't there for you and our children. I keep thinking about how it must have been for you."

"I learned how strong I can be and that we have great friends."

"I'll never be able to pay them back for being there for you."

"Well, I hope and pray that that is the only time I need them like that," Emily said as the tears began to fill her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Cara. I will do whatever it takes to never put you through that again."

"I was scared, and I hate feeling that way. I was scared that I would come home to an empty house everyday. That I would lose my best friend, the man that I love. I would rather die then live without you David Rossi." Emily whispered as a stream of tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Well, that throws a monkey wrench in the system because I don't plan on living without you either. Guess we'll be living for a long time," Dave warned with a twinkle in his eye.

"The worst part was the waiting and the not knowing. I felt like if I stopped thinking about you, or I left you alone, you would leave me. I couldn't leave you alone but they wouldn't let me near you. I forgot to care about Matthew and Mia. The only thing I thought about for two days Dave was you and our life-or rather what my life would be like without you. And it scared me."

"I promise, Tesoro, you will never have to know what life will be like without me," Dave comforted as he wiped away Emily's tears and pulled her into a hug. Leaning back against the rocking chair, Dave rubbed Emily's back as her breathing evened out, and her sobs quieted.

Looking out the window, he brightened. "Cara?"

Emily raised her head to look at him. "Yes?"

"It's snowing."

Emily sat up and looked out the window. "Matthew and Mia are going to get a white Christmas this year! How wonderful!"

"I don't think Matthew is going to care one way or the other Em."

"Doesn't mean that I can't take a picture of him in that snow outfit JJ gave him."

"You are not going to dress my son up in that fluffy blue bunny suit."

"It's adorable," Em argued.

"He looks like a bunny rabbit. My son deserves something better than his first snow picture making him look like prey."

"What if it's only for a few minutes?"

Dave tightened his arms around her and breathed in the clean scent of her shampoo. "One picture. No more. I don't want my son growing up robbing banks."

Em rolled her eyes. "Okay."

"What time is JJ bringing back Mia?"

"Around six. She took the kids to see Santa Claus at the mall."

"Brave woman."

"Well, she is a federal agent, so she should be able to handle a crowd of screaming children."

"Cara, we're trained for capturing serial killers, not mob control. We are going to owe her big time when she gets back."

"Perhaps. Should we go get the tree when Mia comes home?"

Dave stroked her back lovingly. "Why not? Until then I have a way to keep us entertained while the baby sleeps and the other child is away."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, did you ever hear 'Dave Rossi's Twelve Days of Christmas'?"

Em chuckled. "No. How does it go?"

"On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a kiss with her pretty set of lips," he sang softly and dipped his head to kiss his wife.

"Oh," Em breathed. "I think I can like this version."

Standing up, Dave swung her into his arms. "On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me, a wanting look with her beautiful set of eyes." He nuzzled her neck and relished in the way her pulse quickened.

"Dave, what are the odds of getting to the bedroom before the fourth day?" Em asked. Dave whispered something in her ear. She laughed sensually. "Well, when you put it that way… keep singing."

Carrying his wife out of the nursery, Dave Rossi thought about his sleeping son in the bassinet, the daughter on her way home from seeing Santa, and the loving wife in his arms and realized that not only was he a lucky man, but that it was never too late to believe in the miracle of the season and the power of love.


End file.
